American freelance journalist Steven Vincent has been shot dead in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, Iraqi police and the US Embassy said Wednesday.

"I can confirm to you that officials in Basra have recovered the body of journalist Steven Vincent," embassy spokesman Pete Mitchell said.

Police in Basra said the American journalist, together with his female translator, were abducted Tuesday evening by five gunmen in a police car.

Vincent was shot multiple times while the translator was seriously wounded, police said.

"The US Embassy is working with British military and local Iraqi officials in Basra to determine who is responsible for the death of this journalist," the embassy spokesman said.

(Xinhua News Agency August 3, 2005)